Strategy of the Mid-Nor Dwarves

 

A small preliminary consideration: the ability Possessed.

Possessed is perhaps not Hard-boiled, but this is not too bad either because the Despot is great and generous.

Allow me to explain myself: a dwarf with Hard-boiled is without question more resistant than a Mid-Nor dwarf with the Possessed ability, but... the Mid-Nor dwarves have something that normal dwarves do not: Initiative (long live demonic possession, long live the Despot!) and that changes everything.

Whereas the Hard-boiled ability makes it possible for the dwarves to compensate for their lack of Initiative, the Possessed ability is nothing but a bonus for the small cantankerous hordes of the Despot.

A black mark however: shooting. The Possessed ability is no use against enemy shots and attacking spells, which is not the case for Hard-boiled. Add to this small remark the reduced movement of Mid-Nor (Ah well. The powers of darkness can make miracles, but Mid-Nor are still dwarves all the same.) and the heroic charges into the lines of Griffin fusiliers or against those insanly dangerous Bahran mages are more likely to resemble a slaughter than anything else...

You will have understood within the framework of these two armies what these competences are worth for yourself, more than whining complaints.

- Le Nuada

 

Here is a new strategy section for the servants of the Despot.
The dwarves of Mid-Nor are not a very conventional people, they are full of surprises and paradoxes. Although the army is young and relatively few figurines are at its disposal, the Mid-Nor dwarves have a certain security and great tactical flexibility on the battle field.

By studying the units, one notices that the figurines are slow in general (yeah, they're dwarves!) but there are interesting exceptions which are the Reapers with their flight of 17.5 and the Sentinels with their movement of 12.5. Then, one can also note that for their price, the units are incredibly well balanced. It's enough to compare a warrior of Mid-Nor with the basic troops of other armies. They are an excellent compromise between ATT and DEF, with an average INI and Fear. Yes, the Mid-Nor cause Fear and it is quite useful, at times (but it ain't Killyox).
More especially as the Mid-Nor can field a War Staff and really cause surprises in this area.
With regard to the Heroes, it's the same topic for Araqsalil. Azahir is really not expensive for what he does on the battle field and he's of sure value to the Despot.
Nérân is a priest of madness. Really, when he's out, i.e. very often, he performs miracles this here fellow (no pun intended). And his Invocation of Reapers is a must, but that's not the only thing little Nérân can do. The miracles which he can use thanks to his 1/1/1 priest capacities mean that the various combinations he can use are very numerous. And a versatile character is only more effective.
Akkadhalet is really a good magus. Good value like all the other Mid-Nor, he's not an "abusive" character who kills the game but one which offers tactical possibilities both amusing enough and effective. Your opponent will be very annoyed when you cast your spells. (see the section later) An amusing detail: he's the only one with shooting: a pathetic dagger! But a counter-shot and double 6s are funny enough to get.

What's necessary to make a good Mid-Nor army? The answer is a few basic warriors (and halberdiers) because the secret of victory is with them: it's to combine the strengths of certain figurines with others. Fielding grunts is interesting considering the ratio of quality:price but they'll be that much more effective coupled with troops with a strong attacking potential (Sentinels, Reapers) which will tie up, or kill, enemy units until the warriors arrive. The Mid-Nor heroes being cheap but effective, one can easily field several even in small games of 200 A.P.
To play the excess is not very difficult either considering the cost of the figurines in general. You will very often have numerical superiority and even more so if you summon Reapers in numbers.
Note: understand that if you field Nérân, you're on a "slow" strategy because you'll have to make a mob around him in order to have sufficient T.F. to make a success of his miracles.

 

Magic

The Mid-Nors have only Akkadhalet as a magician. It's a little but, without being excessively powerful like Méliador, he has powerful spells of darkness (Elementary and Chtonienne).
A special mention for Dark Scarification (I suppose that you noticed it in the compos) but other well known spells such as Dance of Dhalilia will be of undeniable utility with Akkadhalet.
The spells provided with the possessed Magus also have their utility: Sacrificial Implosion can hold a big surprise and kill an enemy figurine in a little time (6/8 in ATT for 3 in INI, it is really not bad for a magus), Internal Chaos is a pain when it succeeds (but I've never had the luck with my dice for this spell) and Orgy of the Bloodthirsty fits the Mid-Nor image well and Azahir in particular. Moreover, it's effective...
However, you should restrain yourself when you play magic. Err OK, he's only an Initiate so you won't be able to succeed at all the spells you want not any more that you won't be able to roast it like other more powerful mages. When I speak about restraint, it's for you to focus on one or two magics (two, it's better). My preferred combination and the most effective to my taste is that in the army compositions: Dark Scarification + Bow of Mana. Very offensive and not very expensive, this combo does wonders but won't astonish anyone...

 

Divination

With Mid-Nor, miracles and faith are their strong points. Already, they count a 5 like a 6! So the guiding principle to make a success of your miracles is to spend T.F. to take additional dice and thus to optimize your chances to cast one or even two miracles!! An invocation of 2 or even 3 Reapers then another miracle from the Universal Cult or Meandering Paths of Darkness cooly cast.
THE miracle to be taken is the Invocation of Reapers. It's cheap and effective. It is, to my mind, the great strong point of Mid-Nor. It's not the only one, I'm appropriate about it but it would be really idiotic not to benefit from it.
If you play Fear, which is really feasible, the Song of the Possessed can easily make barbarians and other goblins flee but it remains quite expensive so take it only if you're setting yourself up along these lines.

Now, the nice miracles:
- Occult Dubbing. A classic which can cause devastation especially when you can bless a maximum number of figurines with disconcerting ease.
- Inversion. The miracle which kills and then causes laughter. OK, it won't happen every strike but read the background of the miracle and you will understand what's necessary to do with it. For the case where...
- Spiritual Aggression. A very strong potential for destruction, in particular against Griffins and the Dwarves.
- Bewitchment of the Puppet. Can be powerful against those Living Dead and Wolfen. The Devourers don't seem to have good DIS (cf: Zeïren), this miracle can cause devastation with an automatic hit to the head.

And well of other miracles are playable considering Nérân's capacity of 1/1/1. If you don't find happiness with that, I don't understand you any more.

 

Special mentions

AZAHIR

I have a weakness for him, really. He's really very strong without being unaffordable and if you give him his puppet (err, his armour) you have a walking tin can which heals itself. In combination with Dark Scarification on a critically wounded warrior engaged in hand to hand, he becomes really lethal. Another alternative is Azahir with The Iron and it's "Hello carnage". OK, one can always find someone stronger than oneself but for the price, Azahir is the best for me, all armies combined.


REAPERS

Aie! The Reapers are lethal and the more you summon, the easier it is to summon more since they count in your Aura of Faith. To send them 3 by 3 on the centre pieces of the army is a sure means to get rid of them easily.
If you bless them with Nérân's Occult Dubbing, it's more than lethal.

N&Ecute;RÂN

No apologies for saying it again, this guy can do everything and for so little cost...

 

Ideas for Compositions

-

Fear and mass invocation in 250 A.P.

  • Nérân + Invocation of Reapers + The Crown 72 A.P.
  • Organist 12 A.P.
  • Gallows Bearer 12 A.P.
  • Azahir the Demented 45 A.P.
  • 2 Sentinels of Mid-Nor 42 A.P.
  • 4 Halbardiers 32 A.P.
  • 4 Warriors 32 A.P.

Combat and effectiveness in 250 A.P.

  • Akkadhalet + Dark Scarification + Bow of Mana 71 A.P.
  • Azahir the Demented 45 A.P.
  • Araqsalil 43 A.P.
  • 2 Sentinels 42 A.P.
  • 4 Halbardiers 32 A.P.
  • 2 Warriors 16 A.P.

 

 

Mid-Nor grand slam (around 550 A.P.)

  • Araqsalil 43 A.P.
  • Gallows Bearer 12 A.P.
  • Organist 12 A.P.
  • Azahir the Demented + The Iron 70 A.P.
  • Akkadhalet + Dark Scarification + Bow of Mana 71 A.P.
  • Nérân + Invocation of Reapers + Occult Dubbing 64 A.P.
  • 4 Sentinels 84 A.P.
  • 6 Reapers 72 A.P.
  • 7 Warriors 56 A.P.
  • 8 Halbardiers 64 A.P.

The last composition, it's for giggles but on the table, it's quite something. Moreover it is effective.

All these compositions have no other goal than to show a "standard" Mid-Nor formation. I await the Scourge Bearers impatiently, like everyone.

 

Appeal to the fans of the Despot

Criticisms are always welcome and the replacement of Aldebaran is never easy. I hope that this second version will satisfy as well as possible all the fans of the despot.
I am all ears for any proposals of strategy and combos (especially of combos). Contact me, and an additional section for combos will make its appearance in this strategy guide.

- Wismerhill

Sommaire stratgie